POLSC211: Introduction to International Relations

Unit 1: Introduction to International RelationsIn this unit, we will begin to look at some basic concepts we use when
we study international relations: What is a state? What is national
sovereignty? What is national interest? How do you measure power? We
will also begin to look at the different ways political scientists
analyze international relations: individual, domestic, and global
perspectives.

Unit 1 Time Advisory
Completing this unit should take you approximately 10 hours.

☐ Subunit 1.1: 1 hour

☐ Subunit 1.2: 4 hours

☐ Subunit 1.3: 1 hour

☐ Subunit 1.4: 3 hours

☐ Subunit 1.5: 1 hour

Unit1 Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- delineate the historical development of interstate relations and the
place of the nation state in that development;
- describe specific issues that have relevance to the study of
interstate relations, national security, war, economic integration,
trade, and so forth;
- distinguish between the three levels of analysis of the
international system: individual, domestic, and global;
- discuss the role of national power and diplomacy in international
relations;
- discuss the nature and development of international organizations;
and
- identify and discuss global environmental issues.

Instructions: Watch this speech, which addresses how a particular
issue, such as climate change can conflict with notions of state
sovereignty. The speaker in this video, Laurence Tubiana, is the
Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development and
International Relations (ISDIR) in France. This keynote speech was
originally given at the International Human Dimensions Programme
Open Meeting in 2009.

Watching this video clip should take approximately 10 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use
displayed on the webpage above.

Instructions: Scroll down to the bottom of the webpage, and click
on the hyperlink “click here” to open a copy of Dr. Pham’s article
in PDF format. As you read Professor Pham’s article, pay particular
attention to the second section of the article entitled “Interest
and Power.”
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use
displayed on the webpage above.

Instructions: Watch the video for an example of how a nation uses
natural resources to gain power. In this video, Professor Michael L.
Ross describes how the possession of natural resources can affect a
state’s international relations. Professor Michael L. Ross is a
political scientist, who teaches at University of California, LA,
and is the acting Director of the Center for Southeast Asian
Studies.

Watching this video should take approximately 5 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use
displayed on the webpage above.

Instructions: First read through Professor Terrence Casey's lecture
notes from his course on International Relations. Then read
Professor J. David Singer's article, which can be accessed by
clicking the link for a list of his publications and selecting the
fifth item on the list, “International Conflict: Three Levels of
Analysis.” This reading will also cover sub-subunits 1.5.2 and
1.5.3.

Note on the Text: Professor Singer’s article is a seminal work on
how events in international relations can be explained or
interpreted at multiple levels.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use
displayed on the webpages above.

1.5.2 DomesticNote: This subunit is covered by the reading assigned beneath
sub-subunit 1.4.1.

1.5.3 GlobalNote: This subunit is covered by the reading assigned beneath
sub-subunit 1.4.1.